Sins of the Rebels (Lush Trans Series #1)

Chapter 60

"He had his mother's eyes..." Bulong ni Governor Hermilando sa gilid ko.

And for one last time, I wanted to see the man I loved before I left the country. The thought lingered in my mind, a bittersweet ache that I couldn't shake off. Despite everything, despite the pain and the heartache, there was a part of me that needed closure.

I had to see him, to face him one last time before moving on to the next chapter of my life. It wasn't just for him— it was for me, too. To say goodbye properly, to allow myself the space to let go.

I wasn't sure what would happen when I saw him, but I knew I had to do it. It was the only way I could leave without carrying the weight of unanswered questions and unspoken words.

Habang pinagmamasdan ko ang kaniyang guwapong mukha, umaabot sa puso ko ang saya. May kulay na ulit ang kaniyang labi at hindi na namumutla ang kaniyang mukha. Ang mga mata niyang dati'y puno ng sakit, ngayon ay nagsisimula nang magbalik sa kanilang dating sigla.

I couldn't help but smile. The Hermideo I was seeing now was different—he was no longer the one in a comatose state, no longer the one who suffered and healed. As I looked at him, I knew that each moment of healing and rebirth he experienced was something I had also learned to embrace.

With each breath, with every peaceful and quiet movement of his, it was as if the memories of the love I left behind came alive again.

He was about to wake up soon, and I wanted him to do so without me by his side. The doctor said there was a high chance that some of his memories wouldn't return to him due to the side effects of the drugs that were forcefully administered to him.

I watched him quietly, my heart torn in two. The thought that he might wake up not remembering me, or the things that happened between us, was both heartbreaking and relieving at the same time. It was a cruel twist of fate, but I had to accept it.

I stood up, taking one last look at him as he lay there, his chest rising and falling with every breath. I couldn't deny the bittersweet ache in my heart. I wanted to be there for him, but I knew that it was time for me to move forward. It was what we both needed. He needed to heal in his own way, without me holding him back, and I needed to start a new chapter in my life.

"Buhay po ang nanay niya, hindi ba? I saw her... with you po, nakita ko po kayo na magkasama kanina sa labas ng ospital. Siya po 'yon?" Tanong ko kay Governor Hermilando at binalingan ko siya.

Humarap siya sa akin at marahang tumango. "Nakaligtas siya sa mga kamay ni Jacintha," Tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin at huminga ng malalim.

"Sa dami nang nangyari, gusto kong sisihin ang sarili ko sa lahat-lahat. Sana hindi nalang ako pumunta sa party na 'yon, sana hindi nalang ako nagpadala sa mga kaibigan ko, hindi sana hahantong sa ganito..." Paos niyang sabi at hinaplos ang itim na itim na buhok ni Hermideo. Tumubo na ulit ang mga 'yon.

Eros finally met his biological father, and they were now sitting across from each other, exchanging stories and memories. It was a moment filled with a mixture of emotions— curiosity, apprehension, but also a sense of healing. The years of absence were still heavy between them, but the conversation was slowly bridging that gap.

There were awkward silences at times, but also laughter and shared moments of understanding. It was a beginning, a chance to reconnect and perhaps start anew, even if the past could never truly be erased.

He had changed his surname, to claim a part of the identity he had longed for. It wasn't just a name— it was a symbol of belonging, of finally connecting the missing pieces of his past. It was his way of acknowledging the roots that he had once been denied, but now, embraced with open arms. Through this change, Eros was taking control of his own narrative, rewriting the chapters that were once incomplete.